FlameX: Inferno
by Agent S7
Summary: Part 3 of the FlameX SeriesIt all began with fire. Then there was ice. But something much darker lurks in the shadows... Chapter 13 REVISED, and now with Epilogue
1. Chapter 1: Alive

Inferno  
Chapter 1  
By Secret7  
  
The Shnyder house was quiet. Until the door opened. Blossom stood in the doorway, staring coldly. She scanned the house quietly and walked around.  
"Robyn? It's me! Where are you?" she asked in a normal voice.  
"I'm up here, Blossom!" Robyn's voice said from upstairs.  
"Come down, Robyn. I have a surprise for you."  
Robyn walked down the stairs.  
"Blossom! I heard that Blaze actually killed you! Are you...you don't look that well. Why are you so pale? And...why is it so cold?"  
Blossom's hair began to turn white and her eyes to turn dark blue.  
"Oh my God! Blossom, are you okay?"  
"Never...felt...better."  
Blossom grabbed Robyn by the throat and began to clutch it, squeezing. Robyn began to scream.  
"What are you doing???" she whispered.  
"Killing you."  
Blossom grinned and threw her onto the ground.  
"Your parents are next, Robyn. And then I'll find the vessel. The vessel for my Lords."  
"Blossom! What the—Oh my god!"  
Two swords of ice appeared in Blossom's hand.  
"Die."  
There was a sound of ice piercing a body and a scream.  
  
Blossom still couldn't sleep, even after half a year since Blaze destroyed her, thrusting her into Hell on earth, she just couldn't sleep. She had been controlled by the crystal. The ice. It wished for Ice Eternal. For the end of life. The jewel had been destroyed. But Blossom felt cold yet again. She still felt the Ice Blossom living, somewhere within her. The killer. But it wasn't even it's fault, she thought. It all came down to Blaze. He destroyed almost all of Townsville, killed Blossom, and eventually caused chaos unimaginable by anyone. If she could have one wish, she would wish that Blaze felt all the pain that she had over the long period of life and death. And life again.  
She walked downstairs, her eyes blank. She was tired. And she thought of her enemy. Ice. It was snowing outside. Somehow, she felt like running out into the snow. She wasn't sure if she wanted to go into the snow for fun, or to embrace the cold again. Which was it?  
She shook her head furiously. "It's all over," she convinced herself. Life was going to become back to normal. She felt the memories were disappearing almost. She smiled, remembering the good times with Robyn and her other friends. She hovered to her room, smiling tiredly. She still had the joyful memories. And a whole life time ahead of her. Blaze was dead and the Ice was gone. Everything was going to be alright...  
  
The boy looked around the dim dungeon he was in. He had been there for months, and the monks had at first treated him with extreme kindness...until they discovered that he had forgotten. He didn't even know WHAT he'd forgotten. His vocabulary was advanced, he was intelligent, though a little proud, and he was kind. He knew very little about the monks, and about the size of what he knew were their name: The Brotherhood of The Dark Ones. Rituals and tortures had been preformed on the boy, yet his unusual powers and strong will prevented it from phasing him. He looked now at the monk that walked to him.  
"Ah, you. The Right Hand of the Dark Ones," he said.  
They always called him that.  
"Look, for the hundredth time, my name is B--"  
"Ah...yes. That is what you called yourself when you were powerful. But you've lost all abilities, haven't you?"  
"No...Not all."  
"What, then, can you do?"  
"This."  
The boy kicked the monk in the face, and grabbed the keys to the chains he was in, swiftly unlocking it. This was his chance, possibly his only one, for freedom. He dashed, and began to hover, something he hadn't done for months. Then, he began to fly again, soaring through the candle- lit tunnels. He felt joy overcome him, but then fear. There was the fate of the world in the balance. He needed to warn them.  
The boy burst out of the underground dungeon and out to the half- destroyed city Church of Townsville. He felt the wind again. "Freedom." he said. He hadn't been free since the Brotherhood had brought him back.  
He remembered very few things, and his abilities were greatly reduced. But one thing he did remember was that he needed redemption, for a life of darkness. And he remembered his name:  
Blaze.  
. . .  
TO BE CONTINUED  
  
(A/N: Yes, I am planning on writing a sequel. Problem is, I need a title. Anyway, I just couldn't leave my story just finished. It might take me a while, but soon you'll be seeing this...) 


	2. Chapter 2: Winter's Return

(A/N: Thanks to Cursor, who helped me come up with the title. :) Also, a thanks to everybody who helped me write the first two stories. Everybody, even people who gave me bad reviews. Thanks! And here we go!)  
Inferno  
Chapter 2  
By Secret7  
  
The flame clashed with the ice, burning and searing and melting. He laughed. All he did was hold his arm out and fire shot forth from it. He laughed as Blossom struggled to keep the long beam of ice intact. And he was surprised. The girl's human ambition was much more powerful than he thought. Blaze was actually afraid. He turned on burning fire to full blast, and it began to engulf the girl. Blossom, he had heard her be called. But she hadn't given up. She had fought and fought till the end. Maybe that's why he'd been defeated in the end. The power of humanity...  
  
The memories still didn't make sense. He understood little of what did manage to figure out. He was human, wasn't he? He sat in the ash coated remains of the hospital. He knew that he had to warn them. Before the dark three would return...   
  
"So..." Blossom began.  
She circled the other kids, smiling.  
"Duck..."  
She hovered over Mitch.  
"Duck..."  
She hovered by Robyn.  
"Duck..."  
She hovered by Elmer.  
"GOOSE!" She yelled, over Buttercup.  
Buttercup jumped up, her eyes filled with rage.  
"You're gonna PAY for that one!" She yelled, then quickly took off.  
Life had returned to normal. Relatively. It was still a little abnormal, going to a newly rebuilt Pokey Oaks Kindergarten. And Townsville was in less peril, partly because it was already half destroyed. The villains just stopped coming, knowing that they'd been beat.  
They hovered swiftly through the playground, Blossom speeding quickly. She felt a brief bit of cold around her, as if she...  
"C'mon, Bloss! Afraid to catch me?"  
"Heck no!" she yelled, and flew as fast as she knew how to. Everything was a blur. Except for her one target: Buttercup.  
She zoomed past the blur, and flew into Buttercup, tackling her to the ground. "HAH!" Laughed Blossom. "YOU...ARE...IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever, leader-girl. You are SO dead ."  
"You can't pick me again! I've already been Goosed!" Blossom sneered.  
Buttercup growled as she began to circle the group.  
Bubbles is just BEGGING to be goosed... she thought to herself, walking around, repeating "Duck..." As she reached Bubbles, her anticipation doubled. YES! She is SO Goose!  
"Goos--" Buttercup began, just as the Recess bell rang. "WHAT????" she yelled. "Oh well! You're goose anyway, Bubbles!"  
"But I don't wanna be a goose!" Bubbles pleaded.  
"Too bad." Buttercup declared, turning her back on Bubbles.  
Bubbles burst into tears.  
"Buttercup! At least let her be an osprey!" Blossom demanded.  
"Fine. I think she deserved to be goosed, personally." She tagged Bubbles. "Osprey," she said reluctantly.  
"YAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!!!!" Bubbles shouted.  
"..."  
"Guys, what's an Osprey?" asked Bubbles timidly.  
"Forget it." Buttercup muttered, floating inside.  
The moment they did, Ms. Keane pointed to the hotline phone.  
"It was ringing as you guys came in. You better call the Mayor just in case," Ms. Keane said.  
"OK." all three said.  
All three girls grabbed the phone.  
"Let me answer it!" Bubbles yelled.  
"I should! I never get to answer!" Buttercup shouted.  
"Well, I AM the leader!" Blossom retorted.  
"Yeah, and you, the leader, went homicidal."  
There was silence. Blossom looked like she was holding back tears.  
"You can pick it up." Buttercup said quietly.  
"H-Hello?" asked Blossom.  
"Yes, this is the Mayor! Townsville is in some serious trouble! Mojo has gone psycho! He's trying to destroy everything, especially you three! Hurry! AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"  
Blossom smiled weakly. "The more things change, the more they stay the same."   
  
"WHY DID YOU DO IT??????" screamed Mojo, up in the Robo Jojo. He nearly blasted Buttercup to smithereens.  
"Do what?" asked Buttercup.  
"YOU DESTROYED THEM!" he yelled back, grabbing Bubbles with his claw. "YOU DESTROYED MY SONS!"  
"It...wasn't us!" Bubbles gasped.  
"THEN WHO ELSE COULD IT BE????" he shouted back. "Crazy little Blossom????"  
Blossom's face tightened. "Don't say that again."  
"Say what?" asked Mojo spitefully. "CRAZY...LITTLE...BLOSSOM!"  
Blossom stared coldly at Mojo. Unrelentingly. She grinned.  
"You're about to get the beating of your life. If you live through it." Blossom said, smirking.  
"What're you doing, Blossom?" asked Bubbles, still tight in the grip of the Robo Jojo's claw.  
Blossom didn't answer. She closed her eyes. She started to moan.  
"Uhhhhh...AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!" she suddenly shouted. Her hair began to turn white.  
"Oh my god..." Buttercup muttered.  
Blossom's eyes turned the dark blue they were before. She floated before Mojo.  
"Blossom...what happened? Did...what...huh?"  
"What?" shrugged Blossom. "So I still know a couple of those tricks."  
Bubbles and Buttercup stared at Blossom. It was a nightmare come true.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED. 


	3. Chapter 3: Evil Revealed

(A/N: Sorry I've been having trouble updating, but just my luck, my phone is falling apart. Great. Oh well, I hope this update works...)  
Inferno  
Chapter 3  
By Secret7  
  
Blaze hovered through the burnt side of the city, over pieces of ash, litter, even bones. It was horrifying. He spotted a newspaper, dated March 30th:  
  
"ICE ETERNAL?" The headline began. He read on.  
"By Steve Roberts" "The city was destroyed by the monstrous Blaze only 6 months ago, and now a horrifying change has taken place. Blossom Utonium, one of the famed PowerPuff Girls, apparently went mad for exactly 8 hours, killing all in her path, including the innocent Robyn Schnyder, a childhood friend of the girls." The article continued about patriotism in Townsville, and the Mayor's speech, and other things, but frankly, Blaze wasn't interested. He finally saw something important: "The Utonium family lives at 1391 Saint Luke St., Pokey Oaks, TO." Blaze looked up. This was just what he needed. He dropped the paper, and began to soar to his destination.  
  
"What, girls? I still have some good ol' power, why don't I use it?" she said. She smiled. "Just let me handle Mojo." There was a brief silence, then— "NO! I can't let you fight without us! I don't know how you got your ice powers back, or why, but you can't! We're sisters!" Buttercup shouted. "Sorry you feel that way. I must kill all in the way of the mission..." she said. Her voice began to sound almost mechanical. "...For it is the Will of the Dark Three." Blossom began to draw closer to the girls. "What are you talking about?" Buttercup screamed. "Blossom! Get control of yourself!!!" Mojo, being petrified, began to get away. "That Mojo. If The Three didn't need him for their plans, he'd be dead by now. Speaking of which, it's your time..." Two swords of ice surrounded her hands.  
As she drew closer, Bubbles sped away. But Buttercup stayed.  
"I know you won't."  
"Why not? For it is the will of—ARGH!" she yelled, grabbing her head. Her appearance gradually returned to normal. "What...how did that...Why was I..." she fainted, falling onto the ground, as the ice swords shattered.  
"BLOSSOM!" Bubbles yelled.  
"I think she'll be OK..." Buttercup said uncertainly. "But I thought we already took care of that Ice thing. And what are those 'Dark Three' anyway? Man, I'm worried about her..." She and Bubbles picked up the unconscious Blossom and flew her home.  
  
Somewhere  
  
The 13 hooded figures surrounded the dark symbol, a circle of an unspeakably nightmarish substance around them.  
"We pray in the name of the Dark Three." One began.  
"Death."  
"Pain."  
"Corruption."  
"We will find the Right Hand Blaze, and restore him to the glory of his lords. And the same shall be done for the Left Hand Ice. Now, let us pray."  
They began chanting in a long-dead language, dark words that were full of malice and evil.  
The circle of blood surrounding them burned a faint red.  
  
Blaze keeled over.  
"Return to your masters, Right Hand. Return! You shall return!" a voice whispered.  
"Never, damn you." Blaze whispered.  
"RETURN!" thousands to voices seemed to shout around him.  
"I WON'T!" he screamed.  
"Very well. We shall wait."  
  
Blossom's eyes widened.  
"You will return. Return to your lords. There you will find peace."  
"No..." she whispered to the non-existent voices. "I won't. I love my sisters."  
"COME!" the voice shouted.  
"NO!!!!!!" Blossom yelled.  
"Blossom, get a hold of yourself!" Buttercup whispered. As glad she was that Blossom was fighting, she was still worried.  
  
The brotherhood bowed their heads.  
"We have failed. For now. The Right Hand cannot be changed, though the flame still lingers within. But the girl...she still may be swayed. The meeting ends." finished the figure. They went their separate ways.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


	4. Chapter 4: The Visitor

FlameX: Inferno

Secret7

Chapter 4

Blossom screamed, waking up from a nightmare. She was strapped to a table in the lab. Only the Professor was there.

"It's alright, honey. Everything will be alright." he said calmly.

Blossom smiled weakly. The Professor could make things seem like all was right with the world.

"Wh-Where are Bubbles and Buttercup?" Blossom managed to say.

"They're both alright. They were very worried, though. I persuaded them to lighten up and play video games."

"Will I be OK? Will THEY be OK?"

"Blossom, we'll get through this. And I'm sure that Bubbles and Buttercup will be just fine."

Buttercup blew Bubbles's head off.

"HA! At last! I win!"

"No fair! I didn't know about Fatalitoos! How come I didn't get to use them?" she whined.

They were playing Mortal Kombat.

"They're Fatalities! Not Fatalatoos! And you didn't get to use them because you were too close to death!" Buttercup sneered, blowing a raspberry.

"Oh yeah? Well if I was Scorpion I'd--"

The doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Buttercup yelled, zooming towards the door. It was dark out, being 9:00. They had extra privileges due to the recent crisis, not that they overused them.

Buttercup opened the door. "Utonium...Res...i......dence." She stared at the figure's red eyes. It was a familiar creature to her. A creature of cruelness, evil, and madness. Blaze.

"Can I come in now? What's up?"

"You..." Buttercup began. Her voice was enraged. "You monster."

Blaze stepped back. "Look, I didn't actually...I was--"

WHAM

The kick in the face shot Blaze far out of the doorway, into the house across the street.

"You caused all of this. You started this ALL!" Buttercup said in ferocity. Bubbles floated out of the doorway, a look of inexplicable anger on her face. She was in "hardcore mode".

"Look..." Blaze said. "I really don't want to hurt you." He thought about this, and then rephrased it. "Well, you kicked me in the face, so I do KIND of want to hurt you, but still, I--"

"Shut up and fight!" Bubbles shouted, nearly punching Blaze in the face.

Blaze's eyes lit up. "I was kind of hoping you'd say that," he said, smirking. He leapt through the air, and time seemed to slow down. He slammed a kick into a pressure point in Bubbles, and Bubbles immediately crumpled onto the street.

"YOU KILLED BUBBLES!" screamed Buttercup.

Blaze shrugged. "She'll be OK. I just--"

Buttercup's uppercut connected with Blaze's chin. Blaze flew into the air, and stopped himself before he flew too high. He smacked his forehead. "Look chick, I'd really like to fight. In fact, I am FULL of blood lust right now. But I have a warning for you. I've come to...You're about to interrupt me, aren't you?" asked Blaze, smiling weakly.

"Yes."

Buttercup rocketed through the air, aiming a kick at Blaze's head. He dodged, grabbing the leg and incapacitating it with a karate chop.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Buttercup screamed.

"Look, I really didn't come here to fight. So could you just--"

Bubbles bulleted towards Blaze. "You aren't going to hurt Blossom!" she said.

"God, do we have to do this?" murmured Blaze.

Before Blaze could continue, he found a sharp pain as he was punched all the way through the Utonium Household, into the living room.

"How did Blaze come back?" Bubbles whimpered.

"I don't know, but he's gotta be dead again!" Buttercup said smugly. "Let's check!"

They flew back in their house, towards the living room, and saw Blaze lying in there.

"Told ya he'd--"

A faint moan came from the large hole in the floor.

"What was that?" asked Bubbles.

Buttercup was silent.

SLAM!

Faster than Buttercup could see, Blaze grabbed them both by the collar of their shirts and threw them down the basement stairs, into the laboratory.

"What the blazes is going on here?" cried the Professor. Then he saw him. He stood, frozen in terror.

"Professor Isaac Utonium?" asked Blaze suspiciously.

The Professor nodded slowly.

"Good. We need to have a talk..."

TO BE CONTINUED...


	5. Chapter 5: The Prophet's Tale

(At last, my internet connection has been repaired, as well as ! Here it is: Chapter 5!!!! YAY!)

FlameX: Inferno

Secret7

Chapter 5

There the five stood. The Girls. Isaac Utonium. And the monster. The pitiless, evil, and ultimately insane Blaze.

"What's wrong?" asked Blaze brightly.

The family huddled in a corner together.

"No seriously, guys, what's wrong? Did I do something or maybe--"

A memory flashed through his mind. Fire. A hospital. And a girl being destroyed by his own hands

"Blossom...it's you..." he said quietly.

"Stay away!" she shouted.

"I don't know how you came back or why, but just leave us alone! Please, we've suffered enough already..." The Professor said.

"I..." Blaze was speechless. He knew this would obviously be tough for them. "I haven't come to cause more pain. I've come...to help you." he admitted.

The girls and their father were silent, puzzled to no end.

"What?" Bubbles said quietly.

"I've come to warn you," Blaze began. "...Of something far worse than I was."

"Why?" asked Buttercup tensely.

"Because...It'll take a while to explain," he confessed.

"We have time," Blossom said. Somehow she trusted him, even though it seemed to be crazy. Then again, wasn't SHE crazy, she thought to herself.

"OK. I died," Blaze stated bluntly. "And during life I was pretty much the ultimate evil. But I am, as you can see, very alive. Which is actually bad."

"We know that!" Bubbles yelled.

"There is a hidden cult in Townsville. And speaking of which, the world will probably end within 4 to 5 weeks," He paused, noticing the silence. "Now that I have your attention, it's time for the explanation. I woke up after dying inside of this underground temple. I didn't feel evil, though. I actually felt...well...more human. This brotherhood...the Brotherhood of the Dark Three...they kept me there for months. They kept babbling about me being some kind of unholy savior who was supposed to weaken the earth, along with the spirit of Ice--"

Bubbles and Buttercup's eyes widened, realizing what Blossom's message had meant.

"The Brotherhood was started after some Christian priests of Townsville found these obsidian idols. They looked, well, kind of like you. But not you. The same, yet different. It wasn't long after that that the RowdyRuff Boys came. And were defeated by you. The priests saw the resemblance between the idols and the boys, and began to study ancient religions. In every one, they found, encoded somewhere, three lords of all evil, which all had names which meant the same in English: Death, Corruption, and Pain. So they began to look for power, worshipping these guys. And that's where I came in. Or rather, WE came in," Blaze said, pointing to Blossom, whose mouth dropped open. "Our job, as I said, was to weaken the Human Race, one of hardest the obstacles of these Dark Three. And we did weaken them. But in the end, we both failed. So the Dark Three are coming to earth for a check-up. And they need bodies. Anything related with any of the Dark Threes' realms could trigger them back. And they will most likely come through Chemical X, which is their way of transporting through--"

"Wait...did you say Chemical X?" asked the Professor.

"Yes. The Three created it themselves, in order to create bodies for them to inhabit when needed."

"Then why didn't they choose us?" asked Blossom.

"Because, you were polluted with the most despicable things they could imagine: Good. Humanity. Emotion. And love. And so were the RowdyRuffs. Until they died."

"What does this have to do with anything?"

"Because, the RowdyRuffs, during life, were corrupted, caused pain, and ultimately died. That's a link to all three of the Dark Ones. But as long as you prevent anyone from bringing them back, we'll be fine. Got it?"

"Got it," said the Professor, whipping out the Antidote X gun he'd been reaching for, and firing. Blaze was shocked, and fell to the ground, unconscious. "He won't cause us anymore trouble. As long as we keep him locked up..."

"But Professor, what if he was right? He mentioned something that I did while I was in a trance..."

But Isaac Utonium did not answer. He was thinking. About Blaze, and what to do if he was right...

TO BE CONTINUED...


	6. Chapter 6: The Breakout

FlameX: Inferno

Secret7

Chapter 6

Blaze pounded on the transparent Duranium cell that he'd been trapped in by the Professor. He was persistent, and had kept pounding on the cell for almost a half hour. But it was to no avail. He was locked in the darkest corner of the lab, inside of a small containment cell which only had a bathroom and a television to keep him from getting insanely bored. He stopped pounding, and sat still. Rage bubbled through him. He had tried to help them, but NO. They locked him up in here.

"Betrayed, by the only people I know." he muttered. It was night, and he was tired, so he closed his eyes and drifted into sleep...

_His mind drifted through his imagination. As he hovered, amazed at the wonderful and mysterious place his soul lived, he came across a field of grass. He stood on one side, another figure on the other, flaming side._

"_You cannot escape me," said the figure._

"_No...not you. Not you again!" Blaze yelled._

_The other figure stepped out of the shadows. Blaze, with his dark, cruel eyes._

"_There is no escaping the legacy of the Dark Three. You are now worthless. There is nothing you can do to escape your past. You are no longer Blaze. You do not deserve the name, betrayer."_

"_I hate the name, monster."_

"_You are being foolish. You know that the only way to make sure she lives is to give in."_

"_Who's she?"_

"_The girl you call Blossom. She is the one you care about the most in this plane. She will die, unless you persuade her to become one with the cold, as you will become one , once again, with the flame inside you."_

"_No...the Dark Ones can't...they won't defeat us."_

"_You're being a fool, Nameless. If you are not Blaze, then you are no one."_

"_No..."_

"_Blossom will die."_

_An image of Blossom appeared inside of the boy's dream. The now-nameless child stared as Blaze grabbed Blossom by the throat._

"_She will die. There is no hope left," Blaze said. He snapped her neck._

_The Nameless boy screamed._

"NEVER!" He yelled, and it echoed across the cell. The boy in the past known as Blaze closed his eyes. He was never safe, not even in his dreams. He slumped down.

"Blossom," he whispered. He almost considered listening to the black flame inside of him. To join the Three. But he resisted. It's brighter than usual, so it must be morning, he said to himself.

He yawned and looked outside of the containment cell. He could see a figure coming. He smelled a sweet aroma.

"Food..." he whispered.

Blossom was carrying in the boy's breakfast.

"Hi Blaze. Here."

She opened the cell, and prepared to be attacked just in case. Blaze looked like his spirit was too broken to fight.

"Don't call me that."

"What?"

"Blaze. Call me something else. Anything but that..."

Blossom looked puzzled. "But why not Blaze?"

"Please, I don't want to talk about it."

"There's something I wanted to talk about." Blossom admitted, handing Blaze his food. He looked like he was going to explode with joy with the sight of pancakes. "Look...I want to help you."

"Help me do what?"

"You need to get out of here. I can do that."

Blaze's eyes widened with a wicked look.

"I'm busting you out of here." Blossom finished.

To be continued...


	7. Chapter 7: Darkness Fufilled

FlameX: Inferno

Secret7

Chapter 7

"We're both different from other people" Blaze said. The pair of them, Blossom and Blaze, were sitting on a rooftop.

"I know. People call me a killer, and you one too. Some people really think I am evil. That I'm just pretending to be me," Blossom responded.

"I know you're not. I know you, Blossom. You're one of the best people I've known, and I--"

"Yeah, well what they say is true."

"What are you talking about?"

"There still is this powerful evil in me, and I haven't got the slightest clue on how to fight it."

"We all have a dark side, so you know, you just have to...erm...what's the word?"

"Deal."

"Sorry, I'm just not used to this world of humans and such. I mean, I only recently saw the surface. By the way, thanks for helping me escape. But why did you, anyway?"

"I dunno. It was just this...thing. We're just both different from other people."

"You mean formally homicidal maniacs?"

They both laughed at the dark joke.

"Actually, I do, sort of. How do I deal with this stuff?"

"I guess you just should ask for forgiveness. And put it behind you, I suppose."

"How?"

Blaze shrugged. "Just have fun. And remember that you have friends and family to depend on."

Blossom smiled, then stared at Blaze. "What about you? You don't have any family..."

"Yeah, but I do have a friend," Blaze said, smiling.

"Thanks, Blaze. I--"

Blaze paused. "Please don't call me that," he said at last. "Call me...Ishmael. No, I mean...er..."

"How about Brent?" suggested Blossom.

"Sure, I guess."

Blossom smiled too, then gasped. "I gotta go. They might be waking up soon."

"Alright. See you later, amphibian!"

"Er...it's Alligator, Brent."

"Sorry."

Blossom flew back home.

Somewhere in Townsville

Mojo Jojo paced back and forth, his eyes closed sadly.

"This is the anniversary of the day the Boys were born," he said quietly. "I bet they can hear me..."

It was obvious that Mojo had lost his mind somewhere along the line... (If he hadn't already).

"Hello?" he asked with tears in his eyes. "Brick?"

He saw Brick's form above him. "Yeah, Dad! It's me!"

"What do I do?" asked Mojo timidly.

"You know what to do. What you've been planning to do!"

Mojo smiled sadly. "Yes Brick!" he yelled hysterically. "Yes, boys! I'll recreate you yet!"

He walked to a corner of the old building he was living in, and grabbed a vial and a jar.

"Our ingredients..." "Brick" said.

"And Chemical X!" Boomer added.

All three of them stared at Mojo. "Remake us." they said.

"Yes, boys! Of—of course!"

He put the charred ingredients on the floor of the building, and pulled out the Chemical X vial.

"REVIVE US!" shouted the voices in the mad monkey's mind.

He smashed the Chemical X into the ingredients, and the ingredients began to fizzle. There was an explosion, and a flash of red.

Mojo opened his eyes. Standing in front of him were three boys.

"Guys...?"

They looked similar, but their hair was grey as death, and they wore black. And their eyes...

"A vessel." said the one who looked like Brick.

"At last we have vessels." said "Boomer".

"I am Death." said "Brick".

"Corruption." Boomer.

"Pain." Butch.

Death grinned. "There's so much life here...I can feel it."

"We must cause it suffering," Pain said.

"We must distort their minds." Corruption said.

"We must kill them. And we're going to start with you."

"B-But...don't you remember...me?"

Death touched Mojo, and Mojo began to spasm violently.

"Yeah, right."

And so Death harvested his soul.

At that precise moment, priests in dark robes burst in.

"OUR LORDS!" cried the priests.

"Greetings..." began one priest. "We have awaited your arrival. I am the leader of our congregation dedicated to your almighty powers...WE were the ones who manipulated the chemicals needed to create The Right Hand. WE used our powers to make your servant, known as the Him, bring The Left Hand to this realm. We--"

"Good for you," Pain said. He held out his hand, and a wave of pain came over the congregation.

"b-but why, masters? i..." the leader of them slumped to the ground in pain.

"From now on," began Death, "We're in charge. From now on, we are your masters. Because now that we are free once again...all shall suffer. And once the unfaithful are purged from this realm, you will all be rewarded with immortality. The world will wither and die at our feet. We will destroy them all, and the ones known as the PowerPuff Girls will suffer a painful death. We...will...rule!"

"HAIL TO THE DARK ONES!" the call of the Brotherhood echoed into the night.

Brent awoke with a cold sweat. He had to warn them, before it was too late.

And so the end began.

To be continued...


	8. Chapter 8: The End Draws Near

FlameX: Inferno

Secret7

Chapter 8

Brent stared around. He had just felt a dark wave come upon the City of Townsville. He wiped the sweat from his head, and shook his head vigorously. He couldn't believe it. If only they had heard his warning...

He took off, a streak of fire leading behind him.

Blossom was in her dreams. There was a voice in them...

_Return to usssssss..._

_"No!" Blossom shouted at the top of her lungs._

_We shall slaughter you and your family if you do not cooperate. They shall be killed with much pain..._

_"No..."_

_Yes._

_"Can't I stop it?"_

_There's no way. You have to--_

"Wake up!" Brent shouted, and Blossom almost screamed.

She was awake in her own private bedroom. Ever since the explosion of their house, each girl had their own room.

"Brent..." she whispered. "It's you..."

"The Dark Three...they've risen," Brent said quietly.

Blossom looked stunned.

"...What?"

"I just told you. The end is near."

There was a long silence.

"The...The Three?"

"Yes! You have to listen to me! There is no hope unless we leave Townsville!"

"What are you talking about? Townsville's--"

"It's not safe. Not nearly safe." said Brent. "There's only one thing we can do to defeat the Three, and that's finding it."

"What's 'it'?"

"It's...a jewel. There's a long legend behind it, about how it's the only thing capable of defeating the Dark Three and how--"

"This is...this is unbelievable. I don't know who to trust..."

Brent bowed his head. "Fine. I'll go alone, then."

Brent looked like a wreck. Blossom noticed bags under his eyes from lack of sleep.

"Look, I don't care why the Hell you want to get yourself killed, but I'm after the Jewel of Angels, and I'm going to at least going to hold back the Three. Now are you coming with me or not?!?"

Blossom looked furious. Which is why Brent was surprised when she said yes.

"I want to go. If I have to do that to save my family, then I will."

"The Brotherhood guards it on Xon Mountain. Follow me."

They escaped, a streak of fire and pink shooting through the sky.

LATER

The Professor was working in the lab that night. He sat there, contemplating.

"How did Blaze escape? The only way possible would be if someone teleported him—By Jove, I think I have it!"

He walked up to his prized teleporter. He poured a chemical onto it to reveal fingerprints on it.

"My gosh...Blossom?" he realized. "I have to talk to her immediately..." he said, running upstairs. He ran into Blossom's room and—

"Gone. Oh lord, where are you Blossom..." he murmured.

He checked the other two rooms. Bubbles and Buttercup were both sleeping soundly.

"Wake up!" she shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Wha?" muttered Buttercup tiredly.

"What's all the fuss about?" asked Bubbles.

"Blossom...she's gone!"

There was an abrupt explosion, causing all three of them to fly into the wall. Buttercup opened her eyes. The walking bodies of the RowdyRuff boys stood before them.

"Professor?"

"Yes?"

"I think we have bigger problems to deal with..."

To be continued...


	9. Chapter 9: Corruption

(A/N: If you're reading this, please try to review. The same with "Life with Blaze". Reviews are basically, in this sense, the gas that keeps me writing a particular story. Without them, I'd just lose focus, know what I mean? So please, guys, if you're reading this, review. Please. Enjoy the next chapter, it's pretty scary actually... Secret7)

FlameX: Inferno

Secret7

Chapter 9

Brent and Blossom flew through the air.

"Brent...tell me about this jewel, anyway..." Blossom said.

They were soaring over mountains, getting ever closer to their destination: Mount Xan.

"Well, it's called the Jewel of Angels. It contains the power of 1,000 warriors."

"Where do you come up with those lines, anyway?"

"Top of my head, that's pretty much it," Brent laughed.

"Do you see that?" asked Blossom.

"What?"

"Over Townsville...There's this cloud..."

"Oh no...We have to get to Mount Xan! And fast! Before your sisters die! Or maybe worse..."

They took off towards the distant mountain at an enormously high velocity.

"Who are you?" asked Buttercup. "RowdyRuffs? Again?!?"

"No, Alice, much more than that. Much, much more," said the shell that looked like Brick. Buttercup grasped her neck as she floated into the air.

"Welcome to Wonderland, Alice," Pain said.

"Now...what to do with that Professor?" asked Corruption.

"You'll never hurt him!" Bubbles shouted.

"Yeah, if you want him, you'll have to get through us!" Buttercup added.

"Sounds like fun." said 'Brick'.

"But we don't want to fight," added Pain. A stinging wave of power began to emanate from his hand, immediately affecting the family.

Bubbles cringed, but suddenly did something Buttercup would later call unfathomably stupid and resisted. She got up, fire in her eyes.

"Stay away from my family!" she screamed.

"Cute little baby. Isn't she cute, brothers?" Death asked as his brothers nodded.

"Yes, let's kill her," Corruption said.

"Slowly," Pain added.

"NO!" shouted a voice. It was Buttercup. She climbed up off of the floor. "If you want to destroy the world, you have to get through us."

The Three looked surprised at Buttercup's courage, then immediately regained their cool.

"We are immortal. How can you destroy what lies within yourself? Evil dwells within all of your hearts." Corruption sneered. "In fact, just to prove that, I think I'll have a little fun."

The form of Boomer's eyes began to glow red. Bubbles' eyes suddenly flashed red. She looked around quickly, as though shocked.

"Oh my...god...why didn't I see it?" she asked her family, her voice filled with excitement.

"See...what?" asked the Professor, looking worried.

"That we will never win," Bubbles said.

There was a long silence. Bubbles was smiling happily to them.

"You're not Bubbles," Buttercup said finally.

"Isn't it a bit obvious?" asked Death. "She's not Bubbles. She's something more now. My brother's taken the darkness deep within her heart...and multiplied it."

"YOU DAMN ASSHOLES" Buttercup screamed.

The Professor didn't even scold her. This was the purest evil they'd ever seen.

Bubbles giggled. "What's wrong, Professor?"

"Yes, what IS wrong?" Death asked. "You should be HAPPY for your sibling, Buttercup. And Professor, we are the purest darkness. We are the Dark Three, and we cannot be stopped."

Professor Utonium's eyes widened. "Blaze's story...it was all true..."

"Blaze told you?" asked Pain curiously.

"Tell us more," Corruption said. "We shall spare you if you do."

The Professor bowed his head. "Look...he's..."

The Dark Three were all smiling.

"Up your asses!" he shouted with true rage.

"Oh dear," Bubbles said. "Should I discipline him?"

"Do, my child. Please do."

Bubbles prepared a spine-breaking kick, and shot forward.

WHAM

There was a loud yell of shock and a blow, but the Professor remained intact. Buttercup had blocked Bubbles' shot, and there was a large hole in the wall where she'd been knocked through. She leapt back up.

"If you want the Professor, you have to go through me," Buttercup said, simply staring at the cruel imitation of her sister.

"I'm willing to do that," Bubbles said.

And so the sisters began their war.

To be continued...


	10. Chapter 10: Death and Nightmares Strike

(A/N: C'mon, guys! It's pretty simple, if your reading it, I beg you! Review!!!!!!!!!! Without knowing that people like my story, I can't write! Oh well. Just PLEASE review if your reading this. Oh yeah, and thanx to HG, who's helped me all the way. :D)

FlameX: Inferno

Secret7

Chapter 10

Bubbles drew closer, smiling.

"Forget hardcore, this is the best!" she shouted. Buttercup stood there, backing away. "What's wrong, B-C? You afraid to fight your own sister?

"I..."

WHAM

"I'm not," Buttercup said emotionlessly.

Buttercup did an uppercut on Bubbles, and kicked her into the wall. Bubbles retaliated immediately, punching Buttercup in the stomach. She picked up the girls' bed, and threw it straight at Bubbles. Buttercup dodged it. She looked in horror as the bed floated back up. It was following her.

The bed flew around, Buttercup flying away as fast as she could.

SLAM

She was finally nailed, knocked back again into her room. She moved around dizzily, crashing into the wall. The Three were laughing uncontrollably. Bubbles grabbed Buttercup by the throat and began to choke.

"You always thought you were better than me, didn't you?" Bubbles screamed, grasping Buttercup's neck. "Better...Well who's the better one now, sis? Today..." her grip tightened. "You...will...DIE!"

There was a loud cracking sound, and Buttercup's eyes opened wide. She collapsed to the floor, closing her eyes.

"Now she shall feel death's cold embrace," she said, bowing.

"No..." the Professor said, walking up to Buttercup's limp form.

"NO!" his cry echoed into the night.

Blossom and Brent crept through the tunnels of the cave. They were in a part of the enormous tunnel system created by the Brotherhood. Right now they were under Mt. Xon in the tunnels and getting close to their destination.

A wave of invisible energy burst through the tunnels.

"There's someone here..." Blossom said uncomfortably.

"Not yet. It feels like some kind of Chemical X radar. They're trying to find--"

WHAM

Brent fell to the floor, unconscious.

"Who's there?" Blossom whispered.

"_Yazoperahuratuna..." a voice whispered._

"I said 'Who's there'?!?" she shouted.

_"Lombokikreopolomossimosahah..."_

Blossom pulled out one of the torches Brent had brought with them. There was a burst of light, and she saw it:

It was a nightmare. A creature of death and horror. It WAS a nightmare, she realized. A living nightmare. She looked into its eyes and saw her darkest fears.

"_Luiakasjuneckseiw..."_

_You will fail._

It was a voice in Blossom's mind.

_You will give in to the ice beneath what you think is you. Death and destruction is all that is truly you._

"No." Blossom said.

_It is nothing but the truth. You will fail. You will die. But you will still live in the ice._

"I..." Blossom said. She couldn't think of an answer.

So she fought her nightmares. She kicked and punched, screaming. They shattered like shards of glass.

_"NO!!!!"_ the Nightmare screamed.

It disappeared into nothingness.

The entire cavern seemed to turn back to normal gradually.

"Blossom..." Brent was waking up.

"Brent...you won't believe this..." Blossom stuttered, staring ahead.

"What? Is it bad?"

Blossom didn't say anything. There was an enormous altar in front of them, and on top of that was a glistening crystal.

"We've found it," Blossom said.

TO BE CONTINUED


	11. Chapter 11: Dark Sides

(A/N: I've had a nasty case of writers block lately, so be painfully honest about how good this chapter is. Thanx--Secret7)

FlameX: Inferno

Secret7

Chapter 11

Bubbles stood there, proud of her work. Buttercup still lay limp on the floor. Bubbles was grinning maliciously.

The Professor could see something in her eyes. He kept looking.

"What're you looking at, Professor? You do realize that you're next?" said "Bubbles", but her voice was far away. The Professor was lost in her eyes. He continued to stare, getting deeper.

"What...what're you doing...? No...NO!" Bubbles shouted.

"What is going on here?" Death asked silently, curious, with a glint of anger on his face.

There was no answer from either of them. It was as if they were both far, far away...

The Professor looked at his surroundings. He was in some kind of room. It was brightly furnished, and toys were scattered across the floor. He picked up a beautiful looking toy. It was a doll of Ms. Keane, and it was beautiful. The moment he picked it up, an image of the teacher flashed in his mind:

"_Bubbles, how do you spell _CAT _asked Keane._

It was like he was in Bubbles' mind.

"_C...um...A...er..."_

He let go of the doll, dropping it onto the floor. The realization came to him, and it was quite simple: He was in his daughter's mind.

He glanced around the room, and noticed a door to his right. He opened it and found himself in the old Utonium home before it had burned down. He heard weeping upstairs. The Professor climbed the stairs, and the weeping became clearer:

"Bubbles!" He began to run, but the stairs kept going on and on.

"You'll never get to her in time, Dad," a voice called from behind him.

He turned around only to see another Bubbles.

"You...I know you...you...you killed Buttercup!"

"I didn't. Your daughter did. You see, I am Bubbles. I've simply been shown the light. Or, as you would put it, the dark."

"There...I refuse to believe that!"

"You do? Well, there is _sissy_ Bubbles crying upstairs. She's all upset over something she killed."

"It wasn't just anything! It was a girl! Her sister!"

"Correction: My sister. She was an idiot. A stupid showoff! I've always hated her!"

The Professor shook his head. "I refuse to believe that."

She tilted her head. "You do? Then I suppose you'll have to die."

The Professor closed his eyes.

"I suppose I will, then."

The Bubbles in front of him looked like she had just heard the most horrible insult ever concocted.

"SHUT UP, DAMNIT! I WILL KILL YOU!"

"What do I have to live for?" asked the Professor silently.

The crying upstairs grew louder.

"Everything! I'm about to kill you and you WANT to die?"

"I dare you to."

The Bubbles went silent.

She closed her eyes angrily.

"You...I've always hated you..."

"Kill me. Now. Or are you just going to talk?" the Professor asked seriously.

"Stop it!" she shouted with anger. "STOP IT!" she screamed. She couldn't do it. She couldn't hit the Professor. "Stop it...please..." she whispered, beginning to cry. She vanished, and Utonium found himself hovering up the stairs, towards the girls' old room. The door opened, and he floated in.

Bubbles was standing there.

"Bubbles?" asked the Professor, uncertain.

"Yes..."

The Professor dashed forward, and hugged Bubbles, and they both cried together.

"It's my fault..." Bubbles whispered.

"It's not." Professor Isaac Utonium said quietly. "We have to stop them. Blaze was right. These three..."

"They're really, really bad people."

"I know, honey. First priority is to get out of here. Then we escape these monsters' claws, then we find Blossom and Blaze. Let's just hope that they're having better luck than we are..."

---------------------------------------------------

Blossom and Brent walked up the pyramid-like altar, occasionally glancing around for enemies.

"Man...do you think this is it?" Brent asked.

"Hell, if it isn't..." she paused. "Hell if it isn't. That's about right." She laughed nervously.

Brent was concerned with the hieroglyphics all over the walls.

"She shall find the crystal, and the darkness within shall be unleashed..." he read quietly. "BLOSSOM!" he shouted. "WAIT!"

It was too late. Blossom had lifted up the gem, and they were both glowing a light blue.

"Blossom...! Oh man!..." Brent shouted frantically.

Blossom began to shake, and a feeling of absolute pain overcame her. Like she was being split in two. She held in a scream, and there was an explosion of energy.

Brent opened his eyes. Right next to him in a corner stood Blossom, barely awake, the crystal in hand. They both stared at the two shadowy figures in front of them. The dust cleared, and--

"Oh shit." Brent whispered.

In front of them stood Ice Blossom and Blaze.

"Long time no see." Blaze said, grinning darkly. "Don't say we didn't warn you..."

To be continued.


	12. Chapter 12: Fire and Ice Finished

FlameX: Inferno

Secret7

Chapter 12

"What'staking her so long?" asked Pain curiously. "Can we kill them both?"

"An interesting question. Both questions. I believe the Professor is attempting a telepathic link with the girl in order to--"

WHAM

Death actually keeled over, kicked in the stomach.

"Free me?" Bubbles asked. There was rage in her eyes.

"Kill the girl!" snarled Death, getting off the floor.

They weren't paying attention to one man: Professor Utonium. He snuck down the stairs, heading for his lab.

_God..._ he thought. _ I just hope that she can distract them long enough..._

"Surprised to see me?" asked the other Blossom.

"No..." Brent muttered to himself. "This...you can't be real..."

"We are," Blaze said. "Brother." Blaze floated up and hugged Brent, who screamed, pushing him away.

"Get away you damn monster! I don't know how...how you've gotten out, but...I'll kill you, damnit!" Brent screamed.

Blossom just sat there, in absolute shock.

"Isn't he cute?" Ice Blossom said. "Acting all tough like that? Right, _me_?"

Blossom was silent. She got up, and glared at the Ice.

"Shut the Hell up," she said. "I'm going to kick you're sorry asses back to Hell."

"Sassy mouth!" Blaze said, laughing. "I'd like to see it burn to ash..."

Brent and Blossom looked at the two maniacs they'd created, and began to fight.

Brent soared through the air, trying to kick Blaze in a desperate attempt, but missing entirely, smashing into the wall. Blaze held out his hand to unleash fire, but Brent did a roll to avoid it.

Blossom wasn't fairing too well either. She was dodging attack after attack from her alternate soul. Ice Blossom stared coldly, slicing the air around Blossom.

"You know what it's like to have to share a body?!?" she screamed. "Damn hard! But thanks to you, I've got a body of my own!" she shouted, continuing her raging attacks. Blossom was being cornered, but she had studied strategy well. She flew under Ice Blossom quickly, and kicked her straight in the back.

"I hate you!" she screamed, punching her. "I hate everything you've ever done to me and my family! I HATE YOU!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, kicking the demon in the head. Its eyes closed, she was either unconscious or dead. She was free to help Brent with the fight of his own.

"You cannot escape me!" Blaze yelled. "I am your past! I am your present! And I am your future!" he said, kicking Brent in the stomach. Brent fell to the ground.

"Now to finish the job!" Blaze screamed, his hand beginning to burn. Before he could hit, however, Blossom grabbed Brent with ease.

"You OK?"

"Yeah. Let's kick some--"

There was a loud pounding sound as Blaze punched Brent in the mouth, shooting him back.

Blossom heard an angry groan. She turned around only to discover Ice Blossom, getting up off the floor. She didn't look scratched whatsoever.

_How can we kill these things? It's like they have unlimited power...but why?_ The answer was suddenly apparent.

"Kill me. I dare you." Blossom said.

The Ice stared at her.

"What?"

"I said kill me. Take your sword, and stab it through my chest."

"Gladly."

The Ice took off, her ice sword positioned straight at the heart. The sword went through Blossom. And so did the Ice. But Blossom wasn't affected whatsoever.

"You're a fear? A part of me? You can only hurt me if I give you power. And I've denied you it."

Brent got up out of the virtual crater he was knocked in.

Blaze began to back away.

"What are you afraid of?" Brent asked. "Me? I thought you were supposed to be the powerful one...or was I wrong?"

Blaze grabbed his head and began to scream. A shrill, unholy scream that filled the chamber, and Ice Blossom's voice soon joined the hellish chorus.

There was an explosion of light, and they were dead. They were finally dead.

It was over. Blossom grabbed the gem she had dropped, and began to lift it to her forehead.

"Wish me good luck," Blossom said.

"I do."

The crystal made contact with her forehead, and there was an explosion of light.

To be continued...


	13. Chapter 13 Revised

(A/N: With all honesty, I think I rushed the end before. So here is the revised last chapter, which will soon be followed by an epilogue. Signed, Secret7)

FlameX: Inferno

Secret7

Chapter 13

Professor Isaac John Utonium found himself running for the very life of one of his two remaining daughters. He ran down the lab stairs, and abruptly lost his footing. He fell down, toppling onto the hard basement floor. He heard one of his arm bones snap. He didn't care. With his undamaged arm, he grabbed the Antidote X, and began to load it into the familiar gun...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bubbles was truly unafraid. She stood her ground, glancing around.

"Interesting human reaction," Corruption noted. "She's unafraid."

"Indeed," said Death, hovering back to his feet. "But deep down, you _are_ afraid, aren't you?"

Bubbles shook her head vigorously.

"Fear is a natural human reaction; there is no reason to deny it or to block it. Why do you? Your sister is dead; your other sister is likely to be, if not now, soon. Why do you fight? What is it that keeps you going?" Death asked quietly.

Bubbles took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and said:

"Because. Because there's life, and I don't want you to take it away."

She screamed, kicking Pain in the head, and chaos ensued. Corruption grinned, flying forward and shooting one of his beams. Bubbles took it full force, and wasn't even phased.

"How can a human do that?" Corruption mused. "How can a mere human--"

There was no time to answer as Bubbles applied a punch to the shoulder, breaking his shoulder blade.

"What?" Corruption murmured. "It...hurts...My arm...I can't move it..."

"It's because you have a human body!" Bubbles shouted. "And you CAN die, and go back to wherever you came from!!!"

Pain and Corruption glanced at each other, and sped forward, straight toward Bubbles mortal chest. Bubbles felt a horrible spasm of pain, but resisted it. She resisted crying.

"Why, little girl, why? Why do you choose to fight when you'll just get killed?" Pain asked. "Your body can be broken as well as ours."

Bubbles closed her eyes, and burst out of the hold. She suddenly noticed something: Where was the other one? Death?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Professor cocked the gun. It was ready for use. He turned around, and saw Death glaring at him, right next to his face.

"You thought you could trick us, didn't you?" he snarled. "You can't cheat Death, get it?" He laughed insanely. "Get it? I love jokes, don't you?" He giggled madly. And began to laugh. It was horrid. The Professor was frozen in fear.

"All things come to an end. And this is yours. It's that simple," Death said, more serious now. "So are you going to let me kill you now?"

The Professor glared back at Death, shocking the dark god.

"When Hell freezes over."

There was a blast of a gun, an explosion of light, and the carcass that was Brick, and later Death, lay before Professor Utonium.

He had killed Death. Well, defeated it at least. Death would always exist, as long as there was life.

"HELP, PROFESSOR!" A voice shrieked. It was Bubbles!

Professor Utonium began to run, began to dash, and was finally sprinting up the stairs, to the room the Three had broken into. Bubbles' throat was being clutched by Pain.

"You sent out brother back," Pain said.

"Back to Hell," Corruption echoed.

"So we're sending your daughter there as well. And you. And the world will go to hell, and its flames will consume all of you. You will all die!" he screamed, squeezing harder on her throat.

"I don't think so," a voice said.

Pain turned around, and stared into glowing pink eyes.

"I cannot allow you to kill my family. So I'm going to send you back from whenst you came." Blossom said. There was a jewel embedded on her forehead. It did not, however, carry the distinct feel of the Ice Crystal...it was something else. It was the Jewel of Angels.

Brent floated up with Blossom. "Me and Bubbles will take Corruption. You take Pain."

Blossom nodded. The Jewel of Angels shined on her forehead like a beacon of hope.

Bubbles and Brent stared at Corruption. He looked fearful, and began to step back.

"You cannot do this, Blaze. You know you can't," Corruption shouted.

"Stop calling me that!" Brent shouted, grabbing the dark one by his shirt collar. "Or I'll rip your throat out."

"You were created to kill! That's what you do, you fool! You've become a pathetic mortal! Do you really want to give up your chance for eternal life?"

Brent was silent. Corruption smiled. His game was getting to him.

"Yes," Brent said, punching Corruption in the stomach. He attempted to grab Brent's shoulder in one final, feeble attempt, but fell to the floor, failing.

Blossom kicked Pain in the head, knocking him to the floor.

"Go back to Hell," she said.

"Your life...if you do this, it will never be the same!" Pain said. "You're missing a chance...we could turn things back to normal for you. Bring your sister back. We could--"

Brent stomped on Pain, killing him.

There was a flash of light, and the Three were sent back to the inferno they had came from.

To be concluded...


	14. Epilogue

(I'm sorry if you feel that I'm leaving you hanging with this epilogue. I hope you like it, and once again I apologize for how bad the original Chapter 13 was.)

Inferno: Epilogue

Bubbles sat on the swing in Townsville Park. All she had had on her mind of late was the fact that she had killed her sister one week ago. She swung forward and backward. Forward and backward...

She noticed a streak of pink above her. Blossom had come, of course. The Jewel of Angels was long gone now. It had disappeared immediately after the Dark Three were finished.

Blossom floated down next to her sister. Bubbles looked somehow...older. When Blossom looked in the mirror, she did too. Even though they had all aged since Blaze first terrorized the city, there was also a different kind of age. An age that came from all that they had gone through. The pain, the suffering...

"Why?" Bubbles asked.

"Why what?"

"Why did it all happen?"

There was a silence.

"I don't know..." Blossom said quietly.

"Maybe she's still alive..." Bubbles said.

"That's...impossible," Blossom said painfully. "She died. We both saw her body. And I don't think that--"

"BUT SHE CAN'T BE DEAD!" Bubbles shrieked. "SHE CAN'T BE! _I _killed her, it's _my_ fault! So she can't be dead!!!"

"Bubbles...you didn't..."

"I knew what I was doing! It may have taken some convincing, but _I killed Buttercup!_"

Once again, there was a pause. It all seemed familiar to Bubbles. She and Buttercup...they had visited the remains of the hospital after Blossom's death. Now they were sitting in the park, with the one sister that had had the luck to come back from the dead.

"Let's go..." Blossom said. "We'll be late for the funeral..."

Bubbles nodded, and they took off...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The entire church choir had shone up. Many people in the town owed their lives to Buttercup, and this was indeed a sad occasion.

The priest began to preach about death and they beyond, and Bubbles got sidetracked. She kept staring at the coffin, which was to be opened after the service. Blossom wasn't paying attention either, instead thinking about all of the good times with her dead sister, before the wretched day of flames. Brent was just looking down at the floor.

Then, they were distracted.

The Priest opened the coffin. There was nothing there. Everyone was thrown into a panic, screaming things like "Someone stole the body!" or "What kind of monstrous thief could do this?!?"

Blossom, Brent and Bubbles flew around the chaos. They hovered outside.

"Where could...she be?" Bubbles asked.

Then, they saw something they thought they'd never see again. A streak of green through the sky.

"Do you think...?" Blossom asked Bubbles and Brent in awe.

"I don't know," Brent said.

"What are you looking at?" The Professor asked solemnly. "We need to find Buttercup!"

"I think that soon...maybe she'll find us," Bubbles said quietly.

The streak of green grew closer, and the Professor blinked.

It was Buttercup.

End.


End file.
